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Travel Confessions: SF consultant Madelin Baldwin on York

Published February 17th, 2014

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Student Flights Geelong Assistant Manager Madelin Baldwin travelled to the historic city of York and found Yorkshire's capital in the northeast of England is famous for more than Yorkshire terriers and Yorkshire puddings. From Viking ruins to royal castles and traditional pubs to imposing Gothic cathedrals, Madelin shares her top sightseeing tips for York.

If, when you think of England, you dream of cobbled roads with a mishmash of boutique shops and pubs, giant sprawling cathedrals and a rich history dating back thousands of years – then York is the city for you. Situated in Yorkshire in Northern England and with a population of almost 200,000, York is as stunning and interesting as cities come. Completely surrounded by the famous wall that kept it safe from battles, York has its own city gates, which you can walk or drive through to enter. Take a walk around a portion of the wall and you can check out the amazing view in and around the city centre.

If you are headed to York for a day, here are a few things to add to your checklist of must-sees.

This is actually a complex in the town with law courts, a couple of buildings and Clifford’s Tower. Clifford's Tower is what most people would think to be the actual York Castle as the ruins sit majestically on top of a hill. It’s been bombed, used as a jail and now serves as a tourist attraction. About £8 per person will gain you entry!

The largest cathedral in Northern Europe, you couldn’t miss York Minster if you tried! Located off the side streets in the city centre, York Minster is a breathtaking sight with huge lancet windows, stained glass and spires to the sky. You can take a walk around inside from £10 per person.

If you can stomach the simulated smells of the medieval Vikings, then Jorvik Viking Centre is for you! Definitely worth the £9 entry, you can take a leisurely walk around some of the exhibits as the centre was built on top of an excavation site. Then, jump in a cable car and take an audio-guided tour around a reconstruction of what Viking life was like. Jorvik Viking Centre recreates the total lifestyle with smells of the markets and latrines, and you can see what the Vikings used to do in daily life.

An easily missed gem, The Whisky Shop next to the Jorvik Viking Centre has every type of whisky you can think of – and the staff know the history inside and out! You can try different whiskies and, if you’re lucky enough to get the same girl we did, you’ll walk away a whisky connoisseur!

House of the Trembling Madness

Finish your day at House of the Trembling Madness, which was voted best pub in Yorkshire in 2013 and upon entry, it’s easy to see why. Situated above of a bottleshop, the pub is decorated with animal hides and heads and serves things from mulled wine to a yard of beer (about 4 pints), with cheese made from Newcastle Brown Ale and cranberries!

So when you’re up in the North of England, don’t miss out on York. It’s quirky, ancient and a breath of fresh Yorkshire air.

At Student Flights, our consultants have travelled along those well-worn routes before diverting from the beaten path to explore the real side of foreign countries. These blog posts shine a light on just some of the experiences our consultants have had on recent adventures. We hope you enjoy reading the blog articles written by the Student Flights' Consultants.